Duplicate bridge card tray



Sept.

N. s. BOOTH 3,102,728

DUPLICATE BRIDGE CARD TRAY Filed Aug. 9, 1961 FIG! I f i INVENTOR: NEIL S. BOOTH- fig AAiiwu' ATT'Ys United States Patent Office meat 2s Patented Sept. 3, 1 963 3,102,728 DUPLICATE BRIDGE CARD TRAY Neil S. Booth, 7906 S. Luella Ave, Chicago 17, Ill. Filed Aug. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 130,411

3 Claims. (Cl. 273151) tray will contain a different and arbitrary distribution of the cards among the several hands.

There are various ways in which such trays may be used. One group of four players could play the hands of a number of trays in succession, keeping a. record of each players score for each tray for later comparison with scores made when the players change hands for a later replay of the same tray. More often, however, several sets of players play simultaneously, each with a tray of different card hands. After all the players have finished playing the hands of their respective trays, the trays are advanced successively from one set of players to another until each set of players has had a chance to play the hands of each of the trays after which the scores of the several sets of players are compared to determinethe most successful.

In play of this kind, the cards of each player are not combined into a trick, and placed to one side. Rather, each player retains the played cards in front of him and note is made of the side which takes each trick. When the play with the hands of one tray iscompleted the hands a are replaced in the tray in the same relative NE-SW relation as they were in the first instance. Thus, several sets of players have the opportunity to compare their scores with each other in the playing of each tray.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved structure of a tray for pro-arranged bridge hands for playing successively by either one set of players who change positions after each game, or by a succession of sets of players; to provide a tray of this kind having an improved form and arrangement of four; pockets for the convenient positioning of the four hands of a deck of cards; to provide improved means for yieldingly retaining each group of cards in the respective pockets; to provide an improved card tray of this kind with the top and bottom perimetrical portions thereof shaped and correlated to permit the convenient and stable stacking of a plurality of trays, each with the card hands arranged therein ready for play, for convenient storage or transport.

In the adaptation shown in the accompanying drawings;

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an improved playing-card positioning tray constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a partly transverse sectional and elevational view of the same taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detail taken on the planeof the line 33 of FIG. 1; and 4 FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the spring clip whereby each group of cards is yieldingly retained in a pocket.

The essential concept of this invention involves a molded tray with four pockets depressed in a predetermined relationship below the top face of the tray with a recess at one side of each pocket to seat a spring clip for yieldingly retaining cards in the respective pockets subject to facile removal when play is ready to begin, the upper and lower perimetrical portions of the tray being relatively shaped to permit convenient and stable stacking of a number of trays.

, A card tray 5, embodying the foregoing concept, comprises :a rigid molded body having four depressed pockets 6 each seating a spring clip 7 for yieldingly holding the respective groups of cards in place in the pockets 6.

Preferably, the tray 5 would be molded from a suitable plastic and be of a square form, as shown in FIG. 1. As most clearly seen from FIG. 2, the bottom 8 of the tray is bordered by a narrow rim 9 with the perimetrical sides 10 of the tray inclined upwardly from the lower outer perimetrical edge 11 to the uppe outer perimetrical edge 12.

i The narrow width of the rim 9 and this inclination of the tray sides 10 are such that the upper outer perimetrical edge 12 of the tray sides It} is disposed inwardly vertically of the inner perimetrical edge 13 of the rim 9. Thus, as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 2, it is possible-for the trays 5 to be stably stacked one on top of another with the under face 14 of the bottom 8 of the one tray contacting the upper face 15 of the other, tray and with the inner perimetrical edge 13 of the rim 9 of the'one tray contacting the sides 10, below the upper face 15,ofthe other tray. This interfitting of the trays 5 insures a most stable stacking thereof preparatory for storage or transport. j y

The pockets 6, obviously, are oblong in form and dimensioned in width, length and depth to accommodate one thirteen card hand of a standard deck of cards slightly below the top face 15 of the tray. As here shown the relative positioning of the pockets 6 is such that one narrower end of each pocket is located inwardly of the parallel edge 12 of the tray 2. distance approximately one-half the width of the pocket. Such relative location of the] four pockets 6 forms a central section 16, parts 17 adjacent the one end of each pocket, and perimetrical portions 18 between the pockets and along the buter edges thereof, defining the several pockets,'with the upper areas of the section, parts, and portions forming the top face 15 of the tray.

For each pocket 6, there is formed an elongated recess 19 and a narrow slot 20- for seating the spring clip 7. The recess 19 here is shown as cut back into the pocket wall 21 adjacent central area 16 of the tray at the level of the bottom surface of the pocket and parallel therewith. The slot 20, which is at right angles to the recess 19, extends into the central section -16 from the face of the wall 21 medially of the recess 19 and opens to the top surface of the central section 16. Thus, as seen from FIG. 3, each recess 19 and slot 20 simulates theform of an inverted squatty T and provides ledges 22 (FIG. 3) which serve to hold the clip 7 in place. i

The clips 7 are suitably formed from pieces of resilient material, preferably spring metal, each in the form of a T. The width of each of the stem and arm parts of the T-form is slightly less than the width of the slots 19' and 20. Each such clip 7 first is formed in the flat, after which the arms 23 are slightly bowed as indicated in FIGS.

, 3 and 4. Following this the shank of the stem part 24 recess 19 below the ledges 22. This positions the stem. 7 part 24 in the slot 20 with the extremity 27 of the stern part 24 disposed adjacent the bottom of respective pocket 6 in position to yieldingly hold a group of cards in place in the pocket.

pocket 6. Such depressions 28 are located approximately medially of the length of the pockets and are of a depth and width that will permit a finger and thumb to grip the respective groups of cards when they are to be removed from. the pocket. As indicated each player position is indicated by appropriate indicia adjacent each pocket 6 and an identifying symbol, such as a numeral, may be applied to the central area 16 to designate the particular tray. I t

The main advantages of this invention reside in the simplicity of its construction and particularly the form and arrangement of the spring clips, which retain the hands of cards in their respective pockets, and the manner of mounting the clips whereby the assembly of the device is rapid and easy; in the construction of the tray whereby all separable elements are below the upper surface of the tray, thereby permitting stable stacking of a plurality of trays;

and in the arrangement whereby separate hands can be fined by the following claims.

1. Aplaying-card tray of molded material rectangular in contour and having four rectangular-shaped, upwardlyopen, .card-retaining pockets formed therein between and below the common plane of the upper face of a central section and the respective perimetrical portions defining the pockets, the tray wall defining a long inner perimetrical portion of each pocket having a recess formed therein below the top face of the tray with a narrow transverse slotopen to the face of the tray, a plurality of T-shaped card-retaining clips each formed of spring material and having the stem part doubled back upon itself adjacent the arm parts to dispose the arm parts in spaced parallel relationship with the stem part, the arm parts being bowed in the direction normal to the plane of the adjacent stem part, the clips, being arranged in the respective pockets with the bowed arm parts seated in the respective recesses andwith the adjacent stem parts in the respective slots to thereby dispose the free ends of the clips in yielding contact with; the groups of cards in the respective pockets.

2. A playing-card tray of substantially rigid molded material rectangular in perimetrical contour and having four rectangular-shaped, upwardly-open, card-receiving pockets formed therein below the common plane of the upper face of a central section and of the respective perimetrical portions of the tray defining the pockets, the pockets being of a depthapproxirnately one-quarter the over-all thickness of a standard deck of playing cards and positioned with a narrow end of each pocket inwardly from the adjacent parallel perimeter of the tray approximately one-half the width of the pocket, the tray walls defining a long inner perimetrical portion of each pocket having an undercut recess formed therein below the top face of the tray and parallel therewith and a narrow transverse slot normal to the recess and open to the face of the tray, a plurality of T-shaped card-retaining clips each formed of spring material and having the stem part doubled back upon itself adjacent the arm parts to dispose the arm parts in spaced parallel relationship with the stem inwardly from the doubled end of the clip, the arm parts being ibowed in the direction normal to the plane of the adjacent face of the stem part, the clips being arranged in the respective pockets with the bowed parts seated in the respective recesses and with the doubled stem parts in the slots to thereby dispose the free ends of the clips in yielding contact with groups of cards in the respective pockets, each perimeter of the tray having a depression formed therein extending into the respective pockets to afford a finger-grip on said cards for the facile removal thereof from the respective pockets.

3. A playing-card tray of substantially rigid molded material rectangular in contour and having four rectangular-shape, upwardly-open card-retaining pockets-formed therein below the common plane of the upper'face of a central section and the respective perimetrical portions defining the pockets, the tray wall defining a long inner perimetrical portion of each pocket having a recess formed therein below the top face of the tray and parallel with bottom of the pocket, said central section having a transverse slot therein open to the face of the tray and said pocket and intersecting said recess, a plurality of T-shaped card-retaining clips each formed of a spring material and having the stem part doubled back upon itself adjacent the arm parts to dispose the arm parts in spaced parallel relationship with the stern inwardly from the doubled portion of the stem part, the arm parts being bowed in the direction normal to the plane of the adjacent face of the stem part, the clips being arranged in the respective pockets with the bowed arm parts seated in the respective recesses and with the doubled portion of the stem parts seated in the slots to thereby dispose the free ends of the stemparts in yielding contact with groups of cards in the respective pockets, that portion of the tray forming the pocket bottoms being disposed in a plane inwardly above a narrow peri-metrical tray-supporting base ridge, and the exterior sides of the tray outwardly of and above the base ridge having their outer faces inclined upwardly from the base ridge with the upper perimetrical edges of the tray sides located slightly inward vertically of the inner perimetrical edge of the base ridge, whereby two or-more trays may be stacked one on another with the inner perimetrical edge of the base ridge resting on the inclined face of the tray sides below the upper outer perimetrical edges of the tray sides.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 705,469 Starkweather July 22, 1902 1,546,887 Eaton July 21, 1925 2,043,343 Warner June 9, 1936 

1. A PLAYING-CARD TRAY OF MOLDED MATERIAL RECTANGULAR IN CONTOUR AND HAVING FOUR RECTANGULAR-SHAPED, UPWARDLYOPEN, CARD-RETAINING POCKETS FORMED THEREIN BETWEEN AND BELOW THE COMMON PLANE OF THE UPPER FACE OF A CENTRAL SECTION AND THE RESPECTIVE PERIMETRICAL PORTIONS DEFINING THE POCKETS, THE TRAY WALL DEFINING A LONG INNER PERIMETRICAL PORTION OF EACH POCKET HAVING A RECESS FORMED THEREIN BELOW THE TOP FACE OF THE TRAY WITH A NARROW TRANSVERSE SLOT OPEN TO THE FACE OF THE TRAY, A PLURALITY OF T-SHAPED CARD-RETAINING CLIPS EACH FORMED OF SPRING MATERIAL AND HAVING THE STEM PART DOUBLED BACK UPON ITSELF ADJACENT THE ARM PARTS TO DISPOSE THE ARM PARTS IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STEM PART, THE ARM PARTS BEING BOWED IN THE DIRECTION NORMAL TO THE PLANE OF THE ADJACENT STEM PART, THE CLIPS BEING ARRANGED IN THE RESPECTIVE POCKETS WITH THE BOWED ARM PARTS SEATED IN THE RESPECTIVE RECESSES AND WITH THE ADJACENT STEM PARTS IN THE RESPECTIVE SLOTS TO THEREBY DISPOSE THE FREE ENDS OF THE CLIPS IN YIELDING CONTACT WITH THE GROUPS OF CARDS IN THE RESPECTIVE POCKETS. 